从中餐菜名英译看中西饮食文化差异_英语论文

On the Diet Cultural Difference between East and West from Chinese Food C-E 

摘要

近年，中国经济迅速发展，中国与外国文化交流频繁，中国的文化远近闻名，中国的食物更是闻名于世。中国和西方的饮食文化以及观念上存在着许多差异，中国菜名的英译就成了最困难的任务。中国菜名英译的成功与否就成为了重中之重。菜名的翻译质量直接影响到进入全球市场的中国饮食工业。中国的饮食文化历史非常悠久，中国人的方方面面都与吃是紧密相连的，然而西方的烹饪方面没有中国讲究，但是他们餐桌上的礼仪和用餐时使用的器具是品种繁多的，可能各有各的优点。本文从中餐菜名英译来看中西饮食文化差异，并提出了如何更好的翻译出中餐菜名的建议。

关键词：中式菜名；翻译方法；饮食文化差异；跨文化交际

Abstract

In recent years, Chinese has developed rapidly, Chinese food is well-known all over the world and its culture is famous. It causes that China and Foreign Countries exchange their cultures frequently. China is different from west countries in culture and concept, So Chinese food translating is the most important mission. Dishes translation quality directly affects the Chinese food industry into the global market. Chinese Food translating successfully or not has become propriety for all. The Chinese has a long history food culture. Every aspect of the Chinese people’s daily lives is closely linked to eating. However, western diets are not rich enough; their table manners and dining utensils are of wide varieties. They probably both have their merits. This article elaborates from the Chinese food translation and offers some suggestions as to how to translate the names of the dishes. 

Keywords: Chinese dish name； translation method； food cultural differences；cross-cultural communication

Contents

1. Introduction 1

2. Rendering Principles of Chinese Dishes 2

2.1 Avoiding Cultural Misunderstanding 2

2.2 Evading Cultural Taboo 2

2.3 Retaining Chinese traits 3

3. Diet cultural difference between east and west 3

3.1 Differences in concept 4

3.2 Differences of the banquet etiquette 4

3.3 Differences of food culture 5

3.4 Differences of menu 6

4. Some approaches for interpreting Chinese dishes into English 7

4.1 Literal Translation 8

4.2 Liberal Translation 8

4.3 Transliteration 9

4.4 Combined Translation 10

4.5 Methods of Preparation 11

5. Conclusion 11

Works Cited 13